CCLA Server Chess

Rook vs Two Minor Pieces

by Arthur E. Holmer

The rook and pawn(s) vs two minor pieces and pawn(s) endgame is an interesting and subtle imbalance of material that affects the plans for playing this ending. Let’s start with an example to make things clear. Every chess player is familiar with tactics manuals that have puzzle diagrams meant to be practice for various types of situations. These manuals usually emphasize finding moves that generate an advantage, mostly material gain. Here is an example that involves the rook vs minor pieces ending. An excellent example is Tactics Time! by Tim Brennan and Anthea Carson¹.

This is diagram No. 6 from Tactics Time¹. The position is from Anderson—Fox, Colorado Springs Quad, Colorado, 2004. Here the authors give “30. ... Rxc4 discovers an attack on the White bishop on b6. After 31. bxc4 Bxb6, Black has two bishops for the rook.” So, tactics has done its job and won material. However, the game must continue and what do we do now? The answer is we must do some visualization. First make the moves that the authors recommend. You will find that the position is still complicated and has a lot more tactical possibilities. To clarify what the endgame essentials are, remove the rooks at c1 and c8 and the knights at c3 and f6.

This is the position after we make the authors’ recommended moves and have removed the specified rooks and knights. Now it is very easy to recognize the rook and pawns vs two bishops and pawns endgame. It is important to keep this endpoint in mind when you are considering swapping pieces down to an ending. To start our study of this type of endgame, we must first discuss some background theory. Most instruction manuals state that material wise, rook and one pawn are generally equivalent to two minor pieces. But before we look at the balanced material case, we must consider when there are no pawns on the board, only kings and pieces. We can have the following possibilities: rook vs two bishops, rook vs bishop and knight and rook vs two knights. GM Reuben Fine tells us on page 450 of Basic Chess Endings², “If there are no pawns on the board, the game is drawn”. It is clear from this list of possibilities that any piece exchange will give a situation that does not have sufficient mating material, hence a draw. So, barring any blunders these piece arrangements do not go anywhere.

As mentioned above, the next case is when you have a rook and pawn vs two minor pieces. If these pieces are the only material on the board, the game also tends to a draw as a minor piece can be sacrificed for the pawn resulting in a rook vs minor piece endgame. In some situations, the rook can win and these endings are covered in most texts on the endgame, such as Basic Chess Endings² or Fundamental Chess Endings³. Also consider exploring these endings with tablebases such as the Six Piece program available at Shredderchess.com. It is an excellent tool to see what is possible in these endings. As we add more pawns to the board, the game changes significantly. Fine continues “However, the nature of the pawn configuration may force a change in the estimate (of the position). When the pawns are scattered or offer convenient targets, the pieces are superior; when the pawns are solid, a rook will usually be able to hold its own. A great deal depends on who has the initiative; this consideration is much more prominent than in any other ending.”², p. 449).

Let’s look at a CCLA game that features convenient targets for the minor pieces.

1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. Nf3 Nd7 5. e4 N5f6 6. e5 Nd5 7. e6 fxe6 8. Bc4 g6 9. O-O N7f6 10. Re1 Qd6 11. Nc3 Bg7 12. Qe2 c6 13. Bd2 b5 14. Bb3 a5 15. a3 a4 16. Bc2 Nc7 17. Rad1 Nfd5 18. Ne4 Qd8 19. Bg5 h6 20. Bd2 O-O 21. Nc5 Rf6 22. Ne5 Qe8 23. Qg4 g5 24. h4 gxh4 25. Bg6 Rxg6 26. Qxg6 Qxg6 27. Nxg6 Bxd4 28. Nd3 h3 29. gxh3 Bd7 30. Nge5 Be8 31. Bxh6 c5 32. Rd2 Bh5 33. Nc6 Bf6 34. Nxc5 Kh7 35. Be3 Rg8+ 36. Kh2 Bf3 37. Rg1 Rxg1 38. Kxg1 Nxe3 39. fxe3 Bxc6 40. Rd8

White’s a3 and b2 pawns are a model example of convenient targets for Black’s minor pieces.

40. ... Bxb2 0-1

Black’s a4 and b5 pawns will cost material or queen.

And here is an example of where initiative is overwhelming. This game was previously published in The Chess Correspondent⁴.

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.d4 Nbd7 6.Be2 O-O 7.O-O c5 8.d5 a6 9.h3 Re8 10.Bf4 Nf8 11.Bh2 e5 12.a4 Bd7 13.a5 b6 14.axb6 Qxb6 15.Qc2 Reb8 16.Rfb1 Bc8 17.Ne1 Bh6 18.Nd3 Nh5 19.Bxh5 gxh5 20.f4 exf4 21.Bxf4 Bxf4 22.Nxf4 Qd8 23.Nxh5 Qg5 24.g4 Ng6 25.Qe2 f5 26.exf5 Bxf5 27.Rf1 Nh4 28.Rxf5 Nxf5 29.Qe6+ Kh8 30.Qxf5 Qe3+ 31.Kh1 Qxh3+ 32.Kg1 Qe3+ 33.Qf2 Qxf2+ 34.Kxf2 Rxb2+ 35.Ke3 Re8+ 36.Kd3 Rb6 37.Rf1 Rb7 38.Rf6 Rd7 39.Ne4 Rde7 40.Nhg3 a5 41.Rxd6 Ra7 42.Rb6 a4 43.Rb2 Rf8 44.Nf5 h5 45.Nh4 a3 46.Ra2 Rb8 47.Kc3 hxg4 48.Nxc5 Rc8 49.Ne6 Ra4 50.c5 g3 51.Ng2 Rb8 52.c6 1-0

White’s c6 and d5 pawns will drive this game to completion.

Returning to Reuben Fine’s discussion of pawn distribution we find that he separates his analysis into three groups:

1. Even Pawns

Fine gives on page 453, “When all the pawns are on one side and without any weaknesses, the game is drawn.” The classic example and model game for even pawns is Capablanca-Lasker, St. Petersburg, 1914, given as No. 899 in Basic Chess Endings², also No. 7.67B in Fundamental Chess Endings³.

This is No. 899 on page 454 of Basic Chess Endings². Fine gives “1. ... Re2 2. Bf2 f6 3. Kf1 Ra2 4. g4 Kf7 5. Ne4 h6 6. Kg2 Ra3 7. f4 Rb3 8. Ng3 Ra3 9. Nf1 Rd3 10. Ne3 Rc3 11. Kf3 Ra3 12. f5 Ra2 13. Nd5 Rb2 14. Nf4 Ra2 15. h4 Ra5 16. Ne6 Rb5 17. Ke4 Rb2 18. Bd4 Rb4 19. Kd5 Rb1, Capablanca tried the break 20. g5, which is the only possible winning chance but still could only draw. Lasker replied 20. ... hxg5 21. hxg5 fxg5 22. Nxg5+ Kg8 23. Ne6 Rd1. White can never win the g pawn under favorable circumstances.” Note that the actual score of this game appears to be different than the moves given above. Fine may have substituted his analysis for the score. His teaching is still worth studying.

2. The Player with the Two Pieces Is One or More Pawns Ahead

Fine comments on page 454² “When there are a number of pawns on the board, two pieces plus an extra pawn always win against the rook. The winning method is nothing more than the methodical advance of the pawns.”

This is diagram No. 901 in Basic Chess Endings², which is from Chekhover—Euwe, Leningrad, 1934. Fine comments “1. f4 There are no wholly satisfactory alternatives. 1. ... Nb5 2. Rb1 Kc6 3. Rc1+ Kd6 4. Rd1+ Kc5 5. Rg1 g6 6. Rh1 h5 7. f5 (seeking salvation in exchanges, but the knights can hold everything) 7. ... gxf5 8. exf5 e5! With this passed pawn the win becomes routine. Of course, Black is careful not to allow the exchange of pawns.”

3. The Player with the Rook Is One or More Pawns Ahead

Fine comments on page 455², “Rook plus one pawn vs two pieces is usually a draw, though either side may have winning chances. Rook plus two pawns always win.”

This is No. 903 in Basic Chess Endings², which is from Zukertort—Steinitz, 13th match game, New Orleans, 1886. (Note that the book has it mislabeled as Steinitz—Zukertort.) Fine gives “the game continuation was 1. ... Bd4?, after which White won by force: 2. Kh6 Bg7+ 3. Kh7 Bd4 4. g6+ Kf6 5. Rxe7 Kxe7 6. g7, etc.” Fine continues on page 458², “To sum up: Two pieces plus one pawn win against a rook. Rook plus one pawn vs two pieces is normally a draw, while rook plus two pawns vs two pieces is won. With more material on the board, positional considerations may alter these rules.”

One last CCLA game to show how powerful the minor pieces can be when promoting a passed pawn.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5 4. Nf3 Bb7 5. Nbd2 bxc4 6. e4 Qa5 7. Bxc4 e6 8. O-O Qb6 9. dxe6 dxe6 10. e5 Nd5 11. Qc2 Be7 12. Ne4 O-O 13. Neg5 Bxg5 14. Nxg5 g6 15. Re1 Qc6 16. f3 Nd7 17. Qe4 N7b6 18. Bxd5 Nxd5 19. Qh4 h5 20. g4 Kg7 21. Bd2 Rh8 22. Ne4 Qc7 23. Nd6 Bc6 24. g5 Rhf8 25. Rac1 Ne7 26. Rxc5 Qb6 27. Qb4 Qa6 28. Ra5 Qd3 29. Re3 Qc2 30. Qc3 Qxc3 31. Rxc3 Bd5 32. Rc7 Nc6 33. Rxd5 exd5 34. Rxc6 Rab8 35. Bc3 Rb6 36. e6+ Kg8 37. Rxb6 axb6 38. e7 1-0

White’s bishop and knight can overcome any defense Black can attempt. An amazing show of force.

References:

1. Brennan, Tim, Carson, Anthea, Tactics Time! 1001 Chess Tactics from the Games of Everyday Chess Players, New in Chess, Amsterdam, 2013.

2. Fine, Reuben, Basic Chess Endings, David McKay Company, New York, 1941, Benko Revised Edition, Random House, New York, 2003.

3. Mueller, Karsten, Lamprecht, Frank, Fundamental Chess Endings, Gambit Publications, London, 2001.

4. Readers’ Games, The Chess Correspondent, V. 88, No. 2 (April-June), 2015, pp. 35-36.